The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a notice to the Superintendent of Police (SP) regarding allegations of misconduct involving a minor. The court’s action follows a petition highlighting serious accusations against the SP. The notice requires the SP to respond to the allegations promptly.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court took cognizance of the alleged mistreatment of a 15-year-old minor at the CIA-2 unit in Panipat, Haryana. The court issued a notice to the Director General of Police (DGP) of Haryana and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Panipat, seeking their response on the matter.
The notice prompted by a detailed report from the Panipat Session Judge, Sudesh Kumar Sharma, which highlighted the concerns regarding the minor’s treatment. The court specifically directed the SP of Panipat, Ajit Singh Shekhawat, to respond by July 19, explaining why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
Furthermore, the DGP of Haryana, Shatrujit Kapoor, has been instructed to closely oversee the case and ensure that appropriate actions are taken to address the alleged mistreatment of the minor.
The allegations came to light when a session judge visited the CIA-2 station to inspect the conditions, following a complaint. During the visit, the judge reportedly made to wait outside the gates for 7-8 minutes before being allowed entry.
The judge’s subsequent report to the High Court highlighted several major irregularities, including tampering with the station’s CCTV system.
The legal action originated from an incident on July 7, 2022, at the Israna station in Panipat, where a case registered against a minor under various sections, including assault and attempted murder. On August 2, 2022, the minor detained and allegedly subjected to third-degree interrogation methods at the CIA-2 unit.
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Following the family’s petition, the minor claimed in court that the conditions inside the station were poor and requested that the CCTV footage be reviewed.
In response to the judge’s delayed entry, the Superintendent of Police, Shekhawat, suspended several officers, including the station in-charge and other personnel, for impeding government work. The police department has also been questioned about the maintenance contract for the CCTV system, which reportedly not adhered to despite the allocation of funds for a new hard disk.